Aamir Khan is an Indian actor, filmmaker, and television personality. Khan first appeared on screen at the age of eight in a minor role in his uncle Nasir Hussain's film Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973).[1] In 1983, he acted in and worked as an assistant director on Paranoia, a short film directed by Aditya Bhattacharya,[2] following which he assisted Hussain on two of his directorial ventures—Manzil Manzil (1984) and Zabardast (1985).[2][3] As an adult, Khan's first acting project was a brief role in the 1984 experimental social drama Holi.[4]
Khan's first leading role came opposite Juhi Chawla in the highly successful tragic romance Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988).[5] His performance in the film and in the thriller Raakh (1989) earned him a National Film Award – Special Mention.[6] He went on to establish himself with roles in several lucrative films of the 1990s, including the romantic drama Dil (1990), the comedy-drama Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), and the romance Raja Hindustani (1996).[7][8] He also played against type in the Deepa Mehta-directed Canadian-Indian co-production Earth (1998).[9] In 1999, Khan launched a production company, Aamir Khan Productions,[10] whose first release Lagaan (2001) was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film,[11] and earned him the National Film Award for Best Popular Film.[12][13] Also in 2001, he starred alongside Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna in the acclaimed coming-of-age drama Dil Chahta Hai.[14] Lagaan and Dil Chahta Hai are cited in the media as defining films of Hindi cinema.[15][16] After a three-year hiatus, Khan portrayed the eponymous lead in Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005), a period film that underperformed at the box office,[17] after which he played leading roles in two top-grossing films of 2006—Fanaa and Rang De Basanti.[18]
Khan made his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par in 2007, a drama on dyslexia starring Darsheel Safary, in which Khan also played a supporting role.[19] The film proved to be a critical and commercial success,[10] winning him the National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare.[20][21] Khan played a man with anterograde amnesia in the 2008 thriller Ghajini,[22][23] after which he portrayed an engineering student in the comedy-drama 3 Idiots (2009),[24] and a reclusive artist in the drama Dhobi Ghat (2010), which he also produced.[25] Further success came when he played the antagonist of the adventure film Dhoom 3 (2013) and starred as the titular alien in the ₹7.4 billion (US$93 million)-grossing satire PK (2014).[26][27][28] In 2016, Khan played the father of two young female wrestlers in the sports biopic Dangal, which earned over ₹20 billion (US$250 million) worldwide.[29] Five of Khan's films—Ghajini, 3 Idiots, Dhoom 3, PK, and Dangal— have held records for being the highest-grossing Indian film of all time.[30][29] In addition to acting in films, Khan has developed and featured as the host of the television talk show Satyamev Jayate (2012–14).[31]
† | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1973 | Yaadoon ki baraat | Young Ratan | Minor role | |
1974 | Madhosh | Young Raj[III] | Minor role | [32] |
1983 | Paranoia | — | Assistant director only; short film | [33][34] |
1984 | Manzil Manzil | — | Assistant director only | [3] |
Holi | Madan Sharma | [33] | ||
1988 | Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak | Raj | Also assistant writer | [35][36][37] |
1989 | Raakh | Aamir | [6][36][38] | |
Love Love Love | Amit | [39] | ||
1990 | Awwal Number | Sunny | [39] | |
Tum Mere Ho | Shiva | [39] | ||
Dil | Raja | [36][40][41] | ||
Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin | Ajay Sharma | [39] | ||
Jawani Zindabad | Shashi Sharma | [39] | ||
1991 | Afsana Pyaar Ka | Raj | [42] | |
Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin | Raghu Jetley | [36][43] | ||
1992 | Isi Ka Naam Zindagi | Chotu | [44] | |
Daulat Ki Jung | Rajesh Chaudhry | [45] | ||
Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar | Sanjaylal Sharma | [36][46] | ||
1993 | Pehla Nasha | Himself | Cameo appearance | [47] |
Parampara | Ranbir Prithvi Singh | [48] | ||
Damini | Himself | Cameo appearance | [49] | |
Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke | Rahul Malhotra | Also screenwriter | [50][36] | |
1994 | Andaz Apna Apna | Amar Manohar | [51][52] | |
1995 | Baazi | Amar Damjee | [53] | |
Aatank Hi Aatank | Rohan | [54] | ||
Rangeela | Munna | [55] | ||
Akele Hum Akele Tum | Rohit Kumar | [36] | ||
1996 | Raja Hindustani | Raja Hindustani | [8][36] | |
1997 | Ishq | Raja Ahlawat | [56] | |
1998 | Ghulam | Siddharth Marathe | [36][57] | |
1999 | Sarfarosh | ACP Ajay Singh Rathod | [36][58] | |
Earth | Dil Navaz | Canadian–Indian film | [59] | |
Mann | Dev Karan Singh | [60] | ||
2000 | Mela | Kishan Pyare | [61] | |
2001 | Lagaan | Bhuvan | Also producer | [12][11][36] |
Dil Chahta Hai | Akash Malhotra | [36][62] | ||
2004 | Madness in the Desert | Himself | Documentary | [63][64] |
2005 | Mangal Pandey: The Rising | Mangal Pandey | [36][65] | |
2006 | Rang De Basanti | Daljit "DJ" Singh / Chandra Shekhar Azad[IV] | [36][66] | |
Fanaa | Rehan Qadri | [67] | ||
2007 | Taare Zameen Par | Ram Shankar Nikumbh | Also director and producer | [20][36][68][69] |
2008 | Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na | — | Producer only | [70][71] |
Ghajini | Sanjay Singhania | Also screenwriter | [36][72][73] | |
2009 | Luck by Chance | Himself | Cameo appearance | [74] |
3 Idiots | Ranchhoddas "Rancho" Shamaldas Chanchad / Phunsukh Wangdu[V] |
[75][76] | ||
2010 | Peepli Live | — | Producer only | [77][78] |
Dhobi Ghat | Arun | Also producer | [79] | |
2011 | Big in Bollywood | Himself | Documentary | [80] |
Delhi Belly | Disco Fighter | Producer only, special appearance in song "I Hate You (Like I Love You)" | [81][82] | |
2012 | Talaash: The Answer Lies Within | Surjan Singh Shekhawat | Also producer | [83] |
2013 | Bombay Talkies | Himself | Special appearance in song "Apna Bombay Talkies" | [84] |
Dhoom 3 | Sahir Khan / Samar Khan[VI] | [85] | ||
2014 | PK | PK | [86][87] | |
2015 | Dil Dhadakne Do | Pluto Mehra | Voice | [88] |
2016 | Dangal | Mahavir Singh Phogat | Also producer | [89][90] |
2017 | Secret Superstar | Shakti Kumar | Also producer | [91][92] |
2018 | Thugs of Hindostan | Firangi Mallah | [93] | |
2021 | Koi Jaane Na | Himself | Special appearance in song "Har Funn Maula" | [94] |
2022 | Laal Singh Chaddha | Laal Singh Chaddha | Also producer | [95][96] |
Salaam Venky | Himself | Cameo appearance | [97] |
Title | Year | Role | Creator(s) | Episode(s) | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Satyamev Jayate | 2012–2014 | Host | Himself | season 1, season 2 and season 3 | [31] | |
C.I.D. | 2012 | Surjan Singh Shekhawat | B. P. Singh | "Red Suitcase Murders" | [98] | |
Toofan Alaya | 2017–2018 | Guest | Himself | season 1, season 2 | [99][100][101][102] | |
Rubaru Roshni | 2019 | Narrator | Svati Chakravarty | Documentary | Also producer | [103] |
The Romantics | 2023 | Himself | Smriti Mundhra | Documentary | [104] |
Title | Year | Performer(s) | Director(s) | Album | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Jab Bhi Chum Leta Hoon" | 2003 | Roop Kumar Rathod | Ashok Mehra | Pyar Ka Jashn | [105] |
"Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" | 2010 | Various | — | — | [106] |